Product Description

Microsoft Xbox 36 System Xbox 360 English, Spanish United States NTSC XBOX

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3616 in Video Games
• Brand: Microsoft
• Model: 360
• Released on: 2007-08-08
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds

Features

• Box Content - Xbox 360 Console, 1 Wireless Xbox 360 Controller, 20GB Hard Drive, Wired Headset, Combination Component/Composite A/V Cable, and Silver Xbox Live Service
• Design - Sleek set-top design with horizontal or vertical placement option in a white finish
• Xbox 360 Guide - Access your games, friends, music, movies, and downloadable content from the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller with a single press of the Guide Button
• Customizable Interface - Customize your Xbox 360 Dashboard, Guide, and Gamer Profile with content from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace
• Xbox Live - Go online and enter a world where games and entertainment come alive with the ability to download games and entertainment straight from the Marketplace and join multiplayer sessions complete with voice chat

Amazon.com
Xbox 360 sets a new pace for digital entertainment. More than just a cutting-edge game system, Xbox 360 also integrates high-definition video, DVD movie playback, digital music, photos, and online connectivity into one sleek, small tower, and in the process puts true Next-Gen power right at your fingertips.

Xbox 360, shown with wireless controller, is a sleek, customizable gaming and entertainment system

Under the Hood
Xbox 360 is much smaller than its predecessor--it measures approximately 3.3 by 12.2 by 10.2 inches and weighs 7.7 lbs. It's powered by custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU with three symmetrical cores each running at 3.2 GHz. It also carries a custom ATI graphics processor loaded with 10 MB of embedded DRAM, 48-way parallel floating-point dynamically scheduled shader pipelines and Unified shader architecture. This is powerful enough to draw 500 million triangles per second. In other words, it makes for great looking games in standard TV definition, and even better thanks to built-in support for HDTV 1080i televisions. It also supports the widescreen 16:9 format.

The unit has a 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM drive, which plays both the game media and progressive-scan DVD movies right out of the box. For game-save and media storage, users can choose between the detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive, or a separately sold 64MB flash Memory Unit. Along with storing files, the hard drive will make the Xbox 360 backward-compatible with part of the existing Xbox game library.

Control your Gameplay
Xbox 360 uses a refined button layout for its controllers. Back and Start buttons sit at the center of the controller and between them is a new Xbox Guide button, which instantly takes the user to the Xbox 360 user interface. From there, they can check for friends online, access personal digital content like photos and songs, and more. The black and white buttons of the first Xbox controllers have been replaced with new shoulder buttons placed above the left and right triggers. Xbox 360 can accommodate up to four wireless controllers and has three USB 2.0 slots to use for wired controllers or for streaming your digital media from digital cameras, MP3 players, and any Windows XP-based PC. Microsoft has also created a video-conferencing camera, sold separately, that will work with the system.

Xbox 360 can manage your games, your online friends, and your personal digital library

The Media Experience
All Xbox 360 titles can be played in either standard or high-definition resolution in 16:9 widescreen, with anti-aliasing for smoother graphics. Game designers will be able to take advantage of the system's multi-channel surround sound. The Xbox 360's digital media allows users to supplement any game's music from tracks in their own personal library.

Go Live
A built-in Ethernet port allows users to connect their system to a broadband connection for access to Xbox Live. The Xbox Live Silver Membership included with the console lets anyone create a Gamertag and gamer card to express your online identity, chat live with voice chat, and connect to the Xbox Live Marketplace to buy expansions, maps, and other digital items for your games. You can also update to a Xbox Live Gold Membership at anytime for even more benefits. The separately sold wireless adapter supports the common 802.11a, -b, and -g standards.

What's in the Box?

• Xbox 360 console
• 20GB detachable hard drive
• Wireless controller
• Xbox Live headset
• Standard AV cable
• Ethernet cable
• Detachable faceplate
• Xbox Live Silver membership

Customer Reviews

Good system, but not perfect.
Let me start by saying that I purchased my Xbox 360 two weeks ago from Amazon on this very page. Unlike some previous posters, I am writing about my experience on the product that this review is linked to.

I would also like to add that I am in no way biased towards any particular console. In fact, this is my first console, I strongly dislike Microsoft, and am writing this review on a computer that is running Debian Etch (aka GNU/Linux).

Before I launch into my review it would probably be helpful to potential buyers if I describe my experience buying from Amazon and the shipping service. But since this is not a review of Amazon or UPS this is FYI and is not taken into consideration in my 4-star rating of the Xbox 360.

Buying from Amazon:
+ They were one of the first retailers to differentiate the new HDMI version and had it available long before my local stores even knew it existed.
+ I ordered around 3pm PDT on Monday and UPS had it at my door 9am Tuesday.
- Trying to add a VGA cable or game to the order resulted in an extra day before the console would ship. So I ended up ordering them from some good eggs on another website.

UPS Shipping:
+ They delivered on time, about 17 hours from pick up to delivery at my house.
+ No damage what so ever, even though some people report getting multiple damaged consoles.

Now onto my impressions of the Xbox 360. Keep in mind that prior to this I held the view that PC gaming was superior and consoles lacked the power or storage to produce a gaming experience on par with the PC. I never did understand why 4 guys loved playing 007 multiplayer in one quadrant of a fuzzy TV screen (N64 I think it was) when a PC had higher resolution and each person got their own screen.

Xbox 360 Marketplace:
The marketplace allows users to download demos and game trailers/videos of upcoming games as well as previous releases. Contrary to what I expected, the demos download quite quickly in spite of often being 1GB in size. My guess is that the download speed is at least 400 KB/sec. There are also TV shows and movies that you can purchase, but that's not something I want to buy. All of this (except the content you have to buy) is free and doesn't require the Gold membership. I particularly enjoy being able to browse the list of demos, select several to download, and soon after can sample the game play of a wide variety of games. The simplicity and ease of the demo system is far superior to tracking down and trying PC demos.

Xbox Live:
OK, I'll be honest, it sucks that I have to pay for the ability to play online. But if you shop around you can get the 12+1 month cards for $40, reducing the cost to around $3 a month.
But the rest of the Live system I love. I especially like how it all integrates into the "my xbox" part of the Live website. From either in game or on PC I can see if my friends are online, what they are playing, send and receive text messages, and compare game stats. Maybe I didn't make that clear; I can be at work and message friends in-game from my PC. I think that is pretty cool.
If both me and a friend are using an Xbox 360 we can also send voice messages or even join a voice chat room. The sound quality is not on par with Ventrillo and the VOX-only mics can be annoying, though there is a mute switch.

Xbox 360 Games:
I know, the Xbox 360 has more games out than the Wii or PS3. But it is foolish to think that these systems will not catch up. So my criteria of choosing a system included looking at the kind of games that came out for the Xbox, Gamecube, and PS2. I also looked over the Call of Duty 3 reviews as this game was released on all of the previously mentioned consoles except the Gamecube.
My monitor is a 4:3 aspect ratio so I am at a resolution of 1024x768. This allows me to see some HD picture quality but certainly not the 1080i that almost all of my games support. But even at this lower resolution many games blow me away with the picture quality combined with good frame rates. This gamer is tired of $1000+ computer upgrades every year or two just to be able to enjoy a similar gaming experience on a PC.
The Xbox 360 games have achievement points for accomplishing certain tasks in the game. They are addictive little things and you find yourself comparing scores (via Xbox Live) with your friends and trying to outdo each other. It's so fun that I have a hard time playing old Xbox hits as I get no points from these games.

Xbox 360 System:
I find the load times to be lengthy compared to a PC (this is to be expected as a PC game is on a hard drive) and the whir of the continually spinning DVD drive to be negatives. I am told by a coworker that the DVD drive is quieter now than on the older Xbox 360s, but still louder than we would like. But in all honesty I can't even really hear it over movies and games.
The wireless controllers are impressive. I am tickled that I can power on or off my Xbox 360 from the controller. And should I leave it on, the controller will power its self off after 10 minutes. The controllers also have the connector for the voice chat headset, allowing you to still be mostly wireless while you play and chat.
I think not including wireless and an HD DVD player by default is a good thing. Why should I pay for hardware I don't want to use? I don't have an HDMI display yet so I didn't buy the Elite system. I have CAT-5 handy so no need to pay for wireless. And here in a few weeks I might decide to buy the HD DVD player, or maybe I won't. I HAVE A CHOICE!
Some people complain that rechargeable batteries were not included by default. I'm glad they were not and that the controllers were designed to fit AA batteries. I already have rechargeable alkaline batteries that work just fine (1.5 volts, not 1.2 like NiMH or NiCad). No need to pay for a proprietary battery and charging system that only adds more clutter. And a huge bonus that I can toss in normal alkaline AA cells should I ever fail to have a recharged battery ready.

Conclusion:
The Xbox 360 is a decent gaming system. It has been plagued by more than average hardware problems but those seem to be being addressed and handled well. It is too soon to say if my console will ever die on me. But if it does I will RMA it and still consider this a 4-star system.

It is up YOU, the purchaser, to determine which console you should buy. As an electrical engineer I love the hardware in the PS3. But as a gamer I have to look at the whole gaming experience. And I think the Xbox 360 is a great system that most people will enjoy.

NOT the new 65nm!!
At this time, the new revision with HDMI is NOT, I repeat, NOT the new Falcon chipset with 65nm, which would lead to less heat and supposedly less Red Ring of Doom. It has the same innards as Xbox 360 Elite, except the smaller hard drive; it's a Zephyr. This revision however does have quieter BenQ drive.

If you are thinking about buying an Xbox, wait for the Falcon chipset which should be out in 2-3 months.

Do NOT Invest in this Product if...
Do NOT invest in this product if you are against terrible customer service. The representatives (and supervisors too!) are obviously thoroughly trained to say "Sorry", and "Unfortunately" no matter what your situation, and after they've taken your money.

To get rid of this headache, I would gladly have opted to save the additional $ for the PS3. Microsoft has been a constant disappointment to TOO MANY CONSUMERS!